Disappearing Desktop

  • Thread starter Thread starter LV
  • Start date Start date
L

LV

5384...clean install...dual boot with XPsp2
Install went fine....usual driver issues and marginal hardware (but
exceeding minimum req's)
Ran ok for a couple days....
then...........................

Could have been my screwing 'round with settings to get networking to
network;
Could have been application install (Street Atlas '06)
Could have been PFM......
.....but for whatever reason, I'm left with:
Boots fine,
Brings up log in screen,
Says "Loading Desktop",
At the end of the dance there's a desktop alright - but a sea of blue (no
start bar, no icons, no nothing except the build info bottom right corner.

Tried everything I know. Right clicks, windows keys, running explorer.exe
from cmd, etc....no joy.
Tried rolling back with system restore.

I'm thinking desktop.ini but short of booting to XP and moving files around
I'm at a bit of a loss.

Suggestions??? (before I wipe and start clean)
TIA
lv
 
5384...clean install...dual boot with XPsp2
Install went fine....usual driver issues and marginal hardware (but
exceeding minimum req's)
Ran ok for a couple days....
then...........................

Could have been my screwing 'round with settings to get networking to
network;
Could have been application install (Street Atlas '06)
Could have been PFM......
....but for whatever reason, I'm left with:
Boots fine,
Brings up log in screen,
Says "Loading Desktop",
At the end of the dance there's a desktop alright - but a sea of blue (no
start bar, no icons, no nothing except the build info bottom right corner.

Tried everything I know. Right clicks, windows keys, running explorer.exe
from cmd, etc....no joy.
Tried rolling back with system restore.

I'm thinking desktop.ini but short of booting to XP and moving files around
I'm at a bit of a loss.

Suggestions??? (before I wipe and start clean)
TIA
lv
Click to expand...
Can you get it into safe mode?

Use admin account and have a look at startup apps / drivers, see if
you can disable what you installed by changing exe extensions or
whatever? Sure does not like something; but this will probably not
work because there is no telling what damage you did putting apps in,
some work fine some don't work and some destroy the whole shebang.

If not wipe the bastard and start again, this time do exactly the same
as before but take notes so when it goes bang you will at least know
what particular action caused it.

Breaking Vista is a good way to learn, just tell us what it was.

I am on install number 7 since getting 5384, its been a lot of fun.

8-)

Jonah
 
Before you go back to XP try a System Restore from Safe Mode (if you get a
desktop there).
 
colin, jonah;

Forgot to mention that I had tried Safe Mode...no desktop there either.
BUT.............
......seems like all it (5384) needed was a good nights sleep <g>....

Figured I'd give it one last shot to restore to an earlier restore point
before biting the bullet and reinstalling.
System Restore hasn't proven itself over the years to be one of msft's
greatest successes (at least for me) but - wonder of wonders, it worked!!!

Restore was to point prior to install of Street Atlas so the app was gone
but database remained (as it should).
Figured I'd try install again to see if we could narrow down the issue but
reinstall went fine, reboot ok, and it runs fine, so barring a corrupt
install the first time around that doesn't appear to be the culprit.

Points back to my screwing with network settings to get that to work.
We'll see as that'll be my next mission.
Hopefully be able to pinpoint something if it reappears.

Thanks for the help
lv
 
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